Lytle: Getting ready to meet the Stanley Cup

Jan. 17, 2013

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I was so close I could almost feel the 34.5 pounds of the Stanley Cup weighing down on me, but I couldnít get to it.

What a tease. I was in Toronto, home of the Hockey Hall of Fame, but weather had messed up travel plans. Our plane got stranded in Toronto, but I was there in the middle of the night before getting another plane out of town.

That was the first time I missed meeting my old friend Stanley.

This summer, there was another chance. My family was going on vacation with one of the stops being Toronto. Then life got in the way. I was interviewing for a job, which I eventually got, but in the process missed a second chance to visit the Hall of Fame.

My loving family was kind enough to send me taunting photos of them at all the best displays.

I thought I might never get to see that great place of hockey history. Then fate started smiling down on me. When I started learning about what is coming to town for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game, which takes place Wednesday, I could hardly believe it. A miniature Hall of Fame will be at the Budweiser Events Center, right in my backyard.

As part of All Star Gameís Fan Fest, I heard the Stanley Cup might come to town. Then the NHL started up again and there was a chance the L.A. Kings would be using the Cup for some ceremony after winning it last year. Big deal, whatever.

But alas, Stanley is still available, and heís coming to the BEC. Awesome, amazing. Iím thrilled. Then I found out more.

Exhibit after exhibit of great memorabilia will be at Fan Fest beginning 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the BEC. Gear from Sidney Crosby, Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr will be there. Thereís an entire exhibit of just Wayne Gretzky gear.

The list of memorabilia is too long to list here, but itís as if the Hall of Fame has grabbed as much as they could fit into the truck and hauled it out to Colorado.

Iím officially pumped. Sure, Iíll be working while Iím there (if you see me come say hello and maybe appear in a video Iíll be doing), but Iíll also be sure to take in the hockey history filling the halls of the BEC.

And if you catch me standing and staring at my good friend Stanley, who has been away from Colorado for far too long, shake me and tell me to get back to work.